Kevin Van Dam Forums

what bait would work well in cold water? i went out on Sunday and the water was 42* . i couldn’t find any fish at all. this is a river with moderate current. i tried pretty much everything in my box but couldn’t get anything. this is the first time I’ve fished this late in the year.

in colder water, they are usually more inactive. i always start out fast anyways because i prefer to fish that way but ill usually end up slowing down. i like using jigs, shaky heads, and jigging spoons for colder water. i would also try slow yo yoing a redeye shad.

i have good sucess with the creappy crawler

i always quit in early october cause a primarily fish cranks and spinners! also i’m in michigan so water is pushing 40’s and i don’t think its woth the effort!

bathdant - 04 November 2008 01:21 PM

i always quit in early october cause a primarily fish cranks and spinners! also i’m in michigan so water is pushing 40’s and i don’t think its woth the effort!

i tried today and got nothing! not one bite! I live in MI also and its been tough

This late I like to use a big jig n pig combo and fish slowly.  I went out this Sunday only had 2 bites on a tube fished on the bottom with a slow lift/drag retrieve didn’t land either of the bites.

My favorite bait in cold water is a 3/16 oz. jig with a twin-tail grub. I like green in clear water, and black in stained water. Cold, muddy water is THE worst condition to fish in. I have however been able to get bit slow rolling a chartreuse spinnerbait with chartreuse Colorado blades. I make parallel casts along the bank, keeping my spinnerbait in 1 to 2 ft. of water.

Fish a 4” finesse worm on a 1/32 oz shakyhead with spinning tackle and flouro.

I like lipless cranks,jigs,and finesse worms.  I usually start out burning the the lipless, and stroking the jig, if they dont like that, then i slow WAY down.  I went out today, and i dont know what the water temp was but im guessin mid-50’s.  I couldnt get bit crawlin a jig down the grasslines so i startin a super aggresive “stroking” and finally ended up with 4.  You’d be surprised how you can get fish to react in cold water!

GO SLOW!!! Think finesse, drop shot, shakey heads, jigs, florocarbon line.
The finesse comes natural to me casue thats like what im best at, but the fast bite is fun.

i probebly would try eather a jerkbait, worm, or a crankbait,mainly jerkbait-suspended, all suspended, even though i dont have any, i do see it being a big suggses, ive had a lot of luck, bringing the jerkbait back and stopping it half way back, you can see fish come up from behind and hit it, really awsome.

creppy crawler!!  can beat a cin. black flake!!!

Good article right now on http://www.bassmaster.com about this.